Header block

ABSTRACT

A right angle header block having a body and an assembly of stacked wafers to one side of the body. Disconnect contacts are confined within the body for engagement with the contacts inserted through openings on one side of the body. L-shaped lead wires extend from the disconnect contacts along interfaces of a stacked wafer assembly and then through the thickness of the assembly to the edge of the bottom wafer. The wafer assembly snaps into the body and is accurately located relative to the body.

[451 Sept. 16, 1975 339/210 M X 339/192 R X 339/192 R X Mancini............ Mullm Feldberg.....................

[ HEADER BLOCK [75] Inventors: Robert F. Evans, Harrisburg;

William L. Unger, Stewartstown, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Company, wllmmgton Assistant ExaminerNeil Abrams Dec. 11, 1972 App]. No.: 314,011

Attorney, Agent, or FirmThomas Hooker [221 Filed:

ABSTRACT A right angle header block having a body and an as sembly of stacked wafers to one side of the body. Dis- References Cited The wafer assembly snaps mto the body and IS accurately located relative to the body. UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,573,7l9 Lightner,........................ 339/196 M SEP I 6 975 PMENTU sum 1 gr 2 HEADER BLOCK This invention relates to a right angle header block assembly of the type disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,539,974 and 3,601,772. In a right angle header block a number of wires extend from one surface through a right angle to another surface perpendicular to the first surface. The ends of the wires on both surfaces are arranged in agiven pattern. The wires in these right angle header blocks are secured to contact pads on circuit boards so that plug connections may be established with daughter boards, jumper cables or the like.

The right angle connector block according to the invention includes a body with cavities therein communicating with front and rear faces for holding contacts engageable with other contacts inserted through openings in the front face. The body holds a stacked wafer assembly with one side adjacent the rear face. Wires extend from the contacts in the cavities along paths in the meeting surfaces in the wafer assembly and then down through the assembly so that the wire free ends project outwardly of the bottom wafer. The wire free ends are in the same pattern as the contact receiving openings on the front face of the body.

The right angle connector block is of a high density design containing a relatively large number of contacts and wires in a limited space. For example, in one right angle header block according to the invention, the openings for twenty seven contacts are within an area of approximately one half inch square with the wires extending from the contacts and projecting below the waferassembly in an area measuring approximately a half inch by three quarters of an inch. The contacts and wires are arranged in spaced rows on the front face of the body and on the bottom of the wafer assembly. The compactness of the right angle header block is in part due to the fact that wires extending from contacts of two adjacent rows are lead at different levels along the interface between a single pair of adjacent wafers. Interfitting ridges and grooves are provided on each wafer at the interfaces. The wires are held in the bottoms of the grooves.

ln header blocks of the type described it is important that the leads projecting from the header block for soldering to the circuit board be located in relatively exact locations on the block. In the disclosed header block the wafer assembly is inserted into the body so that the latches on opposite sides of the assembly snap past lockingparts on the body. The assembly includes shallow .wedge shoulders on opposite sides which are fitted against diverging surfaces on legs extending from the rear face .of the body. The shoulders force the legs apart a slight distance. After the assembly is latched into place the resiliency of the legs biases the assembly outwardly of the body thereby holding the latches against the parts and locating the wire ends accurately relative to the body Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets.

IN THE DRAWINGS tively along lines 6 -6, 7 -7 and 8-8 of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are enlarged views taken along lines 99 and 1010 of FIG. 3.

Right angle header block 10 includes body 12anda wafer assembly 14 comprised of a number of generally fiat wafers, 16, 18, 20 and 22. When assembled, the

wafer assembly is locked to body 12 between body legs 24 and 26. A number of 'rows of contact receiving cavities 28 extend between the front face 31 and rear face 32 of body 12. Conductors 30, each including a disconnect contact 34 and a right angle wire 36, are confined within the header block with each contact 34 confined in a cavity 28 and the wires 36 extending a distance along the interface or meeting surface between adjacent wafers and then down through the thickness of at least one wafer with the wire end 38 projecting below the bottom of the wafer assembly.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the rows of openings 28 are I closely spaced with the openings of each row staggered with respect to the openings in the adjacent rows. Thus the wires 36 leading back from the contacts 30 of each row are staggered relative to the wires leading back from the adjacent row. All of the wires leading from the contacts of a given row in the block are identical and follow like paths through the wafer assembly so that the leads 38 projecting from the bottom of the assembly are arranged in the same pattern as the pattern of openings 28on face 31. Spacing between the leads 38 in each row is the same as the spacing between the openings 28 in each row of openings while the spacing bee tween adjacent rows of leads 38 is somewhat greater than the spacing between the adjacent rows of openings 28.

The wafers 16, 18, 10 and 22 making up assembly 14 are formed of individual flat dielectric bodies, preferably plastic, and are fitted together about the various conductors 36. Each conductor is separated from adja cent conductors.

At the meeting surface or interface between wafers l6 and 18, ridges 40 project up from wafer 16 and extend into valleys or grooves between ridges 42 which extend down from wafer 18. A wire receiving groove 44 is defined between the top of each ridge 40 and the bottom of the groove between ridges 42. Wire receiving grooves 46 are formed in the top of the relatively wide ridges 42 and the grooves between ridges 40. Grooves 46 extend from wafer assembly front face 48 back to holes 50 formed through the thickness of wafer 16. The L-shaped conductors 36 extending back from contacts 34 in the bottom row of cavities 28 are confined in grooves 44 and holes 50 to form a first row of contact receiving pins 38. The wires 36 of the second row of cavities are confined in grooves 44 and vertical holes 52 extending through wafer 16 to form the second row of pins 38 extending from the bottom of the wafer assembly. Ridges 40 and 42 extend from face 48 to their respective wire holes 50 and 52. The interface between wafers l6 and 18 behind holes 52 is flat, as indicated in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8.

Inter-engaging ridges 54 and '56, similar to ridges 40 and 42, are providedat the interface between wafers 18 48 and define wire channels 58 and 60 for the wires extending away from the contacts 34 confined in the third and fourth rows of cavities 28. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the wires from the third row of cavities extends back through channel 58 and then down through hole 62 formed through wafers 16 and 18. The wires extending from the contacts in the fourth row of cavities 28 are confined in channel 60 and vertical hole 64 also extending through wafers l6 and 18.

Similar wire channels 66 and 28 are defined by interlocking ridges at the interface between wafers 20 and 22. The ends of wires extending from the top two rows of cavities 28 are confined in channels 66 and 68 and in vertical holes 70 and 72 extending through wafers 16, 18 and 20.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the wire ends or pins 38 extending below the bottom surface of wafer 16 are arranged in a number of rows in the same pattern as the pattern of the cavities in body 12. Through the use of the stacked wafer assembly 14 with interlocking ridges at the interface or meeting surface between adjacent wafers the resultant header block is very compact.

The wires and wafers are put together to form an assembly 14 with contacts 34 extending outwardly of front face 48. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 8 shoulders 76 and 78 are provided on the top and bottom sur-' faces respectively of outer wafers l6 and 22. The shoulders diverge somewhat along the length of the wafer assembly away from face 48. This relationship is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The shoulders 76 and 78 are located inwardly a distance from the sides of the wafer assembly. I

The legs 24 and 26 each include a center rib 80 an a pair of edge ribs 82 to each side of the rib 80. The ribs 82 extend away from body 12 past the end of rib 80. Locking posts 84 join the ends of ribs 82 and are spaced from the end of ribs 80. The edges of ribs 82 to each side of cavity 74 are divergent away from the I closed end of the cavity at the same angle as the divergent shoulders 76 and 78 of the wafer assembly. The

interior spacing between the ribs 82 of each leg 24 and 26 is slightly greater than the thickness of the wafer assembly outwardly of shoulders 76 and 78.

The corners of the lead end of the wafer assembly 14 at face 48 is provided with bevelled surfaces 86 to facilitate insertion of the assembly into the recess 74. Leadin bevels 88 are also provided on shoulders 76 and 78. Triangular shaped latches 90 are provided on the side edges of wafers 16, 18, 20 and 22 adjacent the rear surface of the assembly 14.

The wafer assembly 14 with conductors 30 confined therein is inserted into the body 12 by positioning the lead end of the assembly in the open end of recess 74 so that the assembly edges are confined between the ribs 82 of each leg 24 and 26 and the shoulders 76 and 78 are next to the inner edges of ribs 82. The assembly is then moved into the recess until latches 90 engage the lead in surfaces 92 and posts 84. Further insertion seats the assembly fully within recess 74 and moves the latches 90 past the posts 84. During this time the legs 24 and 26 are flexed apart sufficiently to permit the latches to pass the posts. The legs then snap back so that the posts engage the rear surfaces of the latches and confine the assembly 14 within the body 12. Each contact 34 is located in its respective recess 28.

When the wafer assembly is latched in position the legs 24 and 26 are held apart a slight distance by the shoulders 76 and 78 engaging the edges of ribs 82. Because the edges and shoulders diverge outwardly of the recess 84, the pressure exerted on the assembly by the legs 24 and 26 forces the assembly away from the body and holds latches 90 firmly against posts 84. In this manner the accurate location of the wires 38 extending from the bottom of the wafer assembly is assured.

The type of contacts 34 and the wire ends 38 on the ends of conductors 30 forms no part of the present invention. Obviously, contact elements at the ends of the conductors may vary, depending upon the specific way in which the header block is used. For instance, contacts 34 could be replaced by wire ends either within or extending out of cavities 28. Disconnect contacts could be provided in place of wire ends 38.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is understand that this is capable of modification, and We therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A header block including a body having a front face and a rear face, a number of rows of cavities in the body communicating with said faces to form a number of spaced rows of openings in said rear face. a stacked wafer assembly comprising a number of generally flat wafers positioned one on top of the other, the assembly including a face, a plurality of wire paths in said wafer assembly, each wire path including a first part extending from an opening in the assembly face a distance along a meeting surface between adjacent wafers and a second part extending from the end of the first part through a passage extending through the thickness of at least one wafer to an opening formed in the outer surface of a wafer on one side of the assembly, said wire path openings in said assembly face being arranged in a number of spaced rows of openings; said body and assembly including mounting means for securing said assembly to the body with the assembly face adjacent the body rear face and with each row of wire path openings in said assembly face in alignment with a row of openings in said body rear face and with each opening in the body rear face in alignment with a wire path opening in the assembly face; and a plurality of conductors, each conductor including a contact element in a cavity in the body and a wire extending from the contact element through an opening in the body rear face of the body and the aligned wire path opening in the assembly face and along a wire path in the assembly with the free end of the wire located adjacent said wafer outer surface; at least some of said wire path second parts extending through the thickness of at least two wafers.

2. A header block as in claim 1 wherein the first parts of the wire paths extending from two rows of the cavities run along a single meeting surface.

3. A header block as in claim 1 wherein the first parts of the wire paths extending from each row of cavities are at a different level from the level of the wire paths extending from other rows of cavities.

4. A header block as in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a stop surface on said body, a latching surface on saidassembly and spring means for biasing the latching surface and stop surface against each other for holding the assembly in a fixed position relative to the body.

5. A header block as in claim 4 wherein said spring means includes a pair of spaced resilient legs extending from the rear face of the body and shoulders on the wafer assembly engageable with said legs and spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the normal spacing between the legs when said surfaces are engaged.

6. A header block including a body having a front and a rear face, a number of cavities in the body communicating with said faces to form a number of openingsin each face, a pair of resilient legs extending away from the rear face and defining a U-shaped recess therebetween; an assembly engagable within said recess and including a base, a number of contact wires extending from the base into said cavities with ends projecting free of the base for engagement with circuit members; said body and base including latch means for holding the base within the recess, and surfaces on 0pposite sides of the base gradually diverging away from the rear face and engageable with complimentary interior surfaces on the legs when the body and base are held together by said latch means, the normal spacing between said leg surfaces being somewhat less than the spacing between said base surfaces whereby said legs bias the base outwardly of the recess to maintain the latch means in tight engagement and thereby locate the base accurately relative to the body.

7. A header block as in claim 6 wherein said base includes a plurality of stacked wafers, said conductors including a plurality of L-shaped wires with the wire ends projecting outwardly of one wafer.

8. A header block as in claim 7 wherein said latching means includes a pair of posts at the free ends of said legs and a pair of latches on opposite sides of each wafer, the minimum spacing between said posts being less than the spacing between the outer surfaces of said latches. 

1. A header block including a body having a front face and a rear face, a number of rows of cavities in the body communicating with said faces to form a number of spaced rows of openings in said rear face, a stacked wafer assembly comprising a number of generally flat wafers positioned one on top of the other, the assembly including a face, a plurality of wire paths in said wafer assembly, each wire path including a first part extending from an opening in the assembly face a distance along a meeting surface between adjacent wafers and a second part extending from the end of the first part through a passage extending through the thickness of at least one wafer to an opening formed in the outer surface of a wafer on one side of the assembly, said wire path openings in said assembly face being arranged in a number of spaced rows of openings; said body and assembly including mounting means for securing said assembly to the body with the assembly face adjacent the body rear face and with each row of wire path openings in said assembly face in alignment with a row of openings in said body rear face and with each opening in the body rear face in alignment with a wire path opening in the assembly face; and a plurality of conductors, each conductor including a contact element in a cavity in the body and a wire extending from the contact element through an opening in the body rear face of the body and the aligned wire path opening in the assembly face and along a wire path in the assembly with the free end of the wire located adjacent said wafer outer surface; at least some of said wire path second parts extending through the thickness of at least two wafers.
 2. A header block as in claim 1 wherein the first parts of the wire paths extending from two rows of the cavities run along a single meeting surface.
 3. A header block as in claim 1 wherein the first parts of the wire paths extending from each row of cavities are at a different level from the level of the wire paths extending from other rows of cavities.
 4. A header block as in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a stop surface on said body, a latching surface on said assembly and spring means for biasing the latching surface and stop surface against each other for holding the assembly in a fixed position relative to the body.
 5. A header block as in claim 4 wherein said spring means includes a pair of spaced resilient legs extending from the rear face of the body and shoulders on the wafer assembly engageable with said legs and spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the normal spacing between the legs when said surfaces are engaged.
 6. A header block including a body having a front and a rear face, a number of cavities in the body communicating with said faces to form a number of openings in each face, a pair of resilient legs extending away from the rear face and defining a U-shaped recess therebetween; an assembly engagable within said recess and including a base, a number of contact wires extending from the base into said cavities with ends projecting free of the base for engagement with circuit members; said body and base including latch means for holding the base within the recess, and surfaces on opposite sides of the base gradually divergIng away from the rear face and engageable with complimentary interior surfaces on the legs when the body and base are held together by said latch means, the normal spacing between said leg surfaces being somewhat less than the spacing between said base surfaces whereby said legs bias the base outwardly of the recess to maintain the latch means in tight engagement and thereby locate the base accurately relative to the body.
 7. A header block as in claim 6 wherein said base includes a plurality of stacked wafers, said conductors including a plurality of L-shaped wires with the wire ends projecting outwardly of one wafer.
 8. A header block as in claim 7 wherein said latching means includes a pair of posts at the free ends of said legs and a pair of latches on opposite sides of each wafer, the minimum spacing between said posts being less than the spacing between the outer surfaces of said latches. 